The Town Beyond The Horizon
by Salvatore Shan NW
Summary: Inuyasha and Kagome get kidnapped. They end up at Sanctuary a safe heaven for 'taintedblood' couples. Kagome finds out she wasn't the only reincarnation of Kikyo... and will Koga believe what Warren the witch believes? That Inu and Kag are in love?
1. Chapter 1

**The Town Beyond The Horizon**

Hurray! Another Inuyasha fic! I survived the initiation with Soul Stealer so let's hope that this one does just as well!  
All the Inuyasha characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. Lady Warren, Haika, Orchid, Theresa, Eric, Damilo and General Gornyu belong to me.

And one thing. The 'haori' is Inuyasha's red jacket-type thing… at least I think that's what it is. But sometimes I put jacket instead of haori because I got bored of putting haori over and over again. Don't shoot me!

**Chapter One**  
Separate Ways

_You've succeeded in doing it again, Higurashi_, Kagome's mind whispered. _You're hopelessly lost and have nothing to show for it._ The wind whistled above her, making whooshing noises in the trees up above – a cliché and Kagome knew it, so she ignored it with all her will power and focused on what she'd come for.

There, imbedded in a nearby tree, was a Shikon shard. Taking a deep breath, holding a smile on her face, she made her way over and retrieved it. The trunk didn't lurch or moan. Instead the wind grew silent and the once fertile leaves blowing in its branches turned a golden brown before raining down from the sky.

"Well, I guess it was worth _that_…" Kagome muttered through her teeth, clutching the shard between two numb fingers. She looked down at herself in dismay. Covered in mud, twigs and God-knows what else, she didn't feel particularly proud. She looked a mess.

"Now, to get back to the others and…" Kagome turned, pivoting on her foot… but the path she had come in by seemed to have vanished. Kagome looked about wildly. She was in a clearing, with no sense of direction and no hope of finding the others. She, herself, was carrying the Shikon shards so looking that way would be hopeless… unless…

Kagome took a deep breath. _Unless I try this_, she added mentally. "SIT!"  
She waited. Waited a little more. And then dropped to the floor, hope washing out of her. She'd heard no thud, no cursing… and that meant… _That means the others aren't near enough for me to hear them. Which means that I have to get up and search. _

Kagome stood up, picking a direction. She had been walking for around ten minutes when the storm started up. Rain danced in the air above like liquid bullets, shooting out at impossible angles. The drops seemed to catch her in the face even when she covered it up with her arms.

Running, blindly, Kagome wanted to kick herself. _Idiot, idiot, idiot! I shouldn't have run off like that–  
_"_Finally_!"  
Kagome's head snapped up. There, falling out of the sky, was a sight she was glad to see. Almost as if heaven had sent down an angel…

Yeah right. He didn't make a very good angel. He landed a few feet away; his eyebrows arched angrily, his hair mussed on his forehead, his lips curved into a snarl.  
Kagome smiled sheepishly. "Glad to see someone cared to look for me,"

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed into slits. "Are you kidding? We split up about half-an-hour ago, stupid. If you're gonna take off like that then…"  
Lightning forked through the sky, cutting him off. The forest was illuminated for a mere second – everything was twisted and too bright to be real.

And then the feeling was gone – the light had died down and everything was as it had been before. A tremor went though Inuyasha, but he covered it up quickly. He hoped Kagome hadn't seen, and Kagome hoped that her face showed that she hadn't.

_When he was a kid he was outside in weather like this a lot. It… must have scared him…_

Inuyasha frowned. "You 'sat' me, girl."  
Kagome shrugged. "I had to know whether you were close."  
Inuyasha snorted. "I was scouting in the air, wench. You made me fall about fifty feet!"  
A blush crept up Kagome's cheek as she withheld a laugh. She dug her nails into her palm to stop herself giggling.  
"S-Sorry," she managed.

Inuyasha frowned again. "Whatever,"  
Lightning thrummed through the sky again. Kagome had the sudden impression of being in a black-and-white movie – the world was thrown into bleak greys, shadows and the dream-like whiteness again.

"The storm's close," Inuyasha noted. "We'd better get back to the village." He turned, not bothering to see if she'd follow him – he knew she would. Kagome stood silent for a few seconds, then followed his lead – trudging along behind.  
"I found a shard," she said, placing it in the shard-bottle. She put the container back in a sewn-in pocket within her skirt.

Inuyasha nodded. A smile was on his face but Kagome couldn't tell from behind. "Good," he replied.  
Kagome looked down at herself. Her hair was getting soaked with the rain – it slapped about at her shoulders, lifeless – and her clothes were almost see-through.

She looked back up. "H-Hey, I-Inu–?"  
"What?"  
"Can I wear your haori?" Kagome asked feebly, wrapping her arms around her.  
Inuyasha shot a curious glance backwards, and saw how cold she was. She was shivering as the wind blew heavily through the trees, her lips were trembling and her face was pale.

He sighed. Without saying anything, he doubled back and took off his fire-rat haori, then wrapped it around her. His mouth a tight line, he fell in line beside her. "So… why did you run off like that? Did you want to get the credit for a change?" he asked.

Kagome made a sound that was almost a snort. "No. I dunno… I thought it was something I could do. Y'know, after Kaede being ill,"  
Inuyasha looked around as they walked, staring at anything at her. "I don't think I understand,"  
Kagome bit the inside of her cheek.

"Well, seeing as I couldn't do anything for her, I thought I could do something… indirect, that's all. To make up for the medicines not helping. I sensed a shard, I went and got it. End of story,"  
Inuyasha choked back a laugh. "End of _you_, you mean. Kagome, what would you have done if… if someone was _out_ here. I know that Naraku's dead and all but there are still some bad people around and you don't seem to realise that…"

"_Why_?" Kagome suddenly felt contrary. She balled up her hands, cupped her hips and held her chin up high. "Why should you care? Are you worried about me or something?"  
Inuyasha blinked furiously, then looked away – eyes darkening, his face reddening.  
"Without you…"

"I'm a 'shard detector', right?" Kagome turned away, furious – amazed that she could have an argument and still walk at the same time. Almost bitterly, she bowed her head and snarled: "I can defend myself,"

Inuyasha seemed to arch up like an angry cat. He glared at her. "You're just a human," he snapped nastily.  
"And you're just a selfish half-demon who thinks he's better than everyone else!" Kagome cried.

Inuyasha froze. He stopped walking. Kagome didn't, however. Her words had hit home. _Good_.  
"Is that what you think?" Inuyasha muttered, eyes almost shut.  
Kagome didn't falter. "At times," she agreed. Then she turned to look at him. He'd begun to walk again, but very slowly – sulking.

"Look, come on, you said it yourself – 'we should get back to the village'. Unless you want to stand out in the rain all day,"  
Inuyasha raised his head. "I could take that off of you, you know." Inuyasha frowned, fingers outstretched to take back his haori. "Let's see how big your mouth would get then,"

Kagome bent forward a bit and wrapped the haori tighter around her. "But you won't," she smiled wryly – and a little dreamily too.  
Inuyasha opened his mouth to argue, then didn't. He tossed his white hair over his shoulder and sniffed. "Keh!"

* * *

"Agh!" _THUD! _Kagome's head pounded against the damp, mossy ground with a squelch. Raindrops pillowed her cheeks and softened her fall, and her body lay limp for a few seconds. She frowned into the grass blades. Earth: 3, Higurashi: 0. 

"Are you okay?" Inuyasha frowned down at her.  
Kagome groaned, "Yeah, as soon as it stops raining and I stop tripping up." She sat up, brushing herself down. It had been a root this time, a rock last time, and just plain running before that.

She and Inuyasha had been out in the rain for around an hour now – completely lost and with no idea which route to take. The rain was making everything smell the same – Inuyasha had no way of sniffing their way out.

Kagome looked up at her companion. He was shaking his head, exasperated. "Come on," he bent down, picked her up and scowled. Thunder clapped above, followed by a thin streak of lightning.  
The rain thickened, the wind shrieked and the bolts of lightning seemed even more threatening than earlier.

Kagome's face screwed up. "Please… don't tell me. We're out here for the night, right?"  
Inuyasha looked away from her, he let go of her – letting her totter about on her own two feet. It didn't last long. After a few seconds, Kagome's face had contorted in pain as she twisted her left foot to and fro. _Agony_!

She let out a squeal. Laughing in a meek and pathetic way, she smiled limply. "I've sprained my ankle,"  
Inuyasha scoffed and turned back to her. "Typical!"  
Kagome smiled weakly. "Carry me?" she asked.  
Inuyasha snorted. For a while there was silence. Kagome was staring at him expectantly when, without a word, he flung her over one of his shoulders. Kagome let out a surprised squeak but didn't stop him.

When Kagome was comfortable and Inuyasha was grasping her legs firmly, he took off – his eyes firmly locked with the blinking stars in the sky. _The night has a thousand eyes… _He shook his head, getting rid of the poetic voice in his head. It was just something Mother had told him once…

As he walked under the night sky, he felt the weight of millions of gazes. As if someone, somewhere out there, was watching him. His eyes focused on the night above him. The sky itself was bruised and blackened, but it was the occasional lightning bolt that brought on the feeling of gothic horror.

_We're stranded out here… We have to find shelter from the storm… _Such a cliché, Inuyasha knew, but the feeling of uneasiness – of foreboding – was winning him over, making him feel sick. Why, why, why did he just run off like that! To prove that he was the one who found Kagome, it was his duty? And why had _Kagome_ taken off so suddenly! To prove she was useful?

Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Inuyasha could sense danger in the air as he walked east – so he doubled back and tried a different direction. Every where he went, he could sense the storm. It was everywhere – destroying everything, making nowhere safe.

When Inuyasha couldn't decide which route to take, he gave up and just kept going forward. "The lightning's getting close. We've gotta find shelter," Inuyasha noted, tossing his hair over his shoulder. Kagome didn't acknowledge him. She didn't reply at all.

The ground was wet and slippery beneath Inuyasha's bare feet. Eventually, he decided it wasn't safe (or comfortable) to carry Kagome slung over his shoulder like a kidnap victim. She agreed. That was the only time they stopped.  
Kagome had clambered off of him doggedly, apparently falling asleep as she climbed back on piggy-back style.

When she was snug, Inuyasha started running again – as fast as he could. He wrapped his arms around the bottom of Kagome's legs, his mouth set in a tight line. He liked her arms hugging his shoulders, but of course he wouldn't let his face show that. It made him feel like he belonged somewhere, and he liked that feeling – he hoped it would never go.

Occasionally her grip would tighten in pain – her ankle still hurt – but other times her hold on him would slacken as she drifted into the arms of sleep. Kagome didn't complain once, but that came with a price. She didn't speak at all. And neither did Inuyasha. They carried on in silence.

After ten minutes or so, Inuyasha was the one to break it. After around half-an-hour of meandering through masses of shrubs and trees, ducking and diving through the forest, they'd come out into a clearing. His eyes widened as the forest disappeared and a cliff face towered above him.

And there, carved into the rocky wall, was a kind of cove. It was almost as if a battering ram had crashed into it and had failed in tearing it down. It wasn't big enough to fit their bodies in, either horizontally or vertically, but it was shelter – it would have to do.

Inuyasha smiled. "Kagome, look…." He jabbed her. She didn't move. "K-Kagome?" Inuyasha looked over his shoulder at her. She was fast asleep, smiling as she held onto his fire-rat jacket like a baby blanket.

Inuyasha grinned and looked back at their bed for the night.  
He made his way over, shifting Kagome so she didn't topple off of him. He blew his dripping wet hair out of his eyes, annoyed at the rain.  
And Inuyasha wondered again why he had been such an idiot to leave Sango and Miroku alone. But the thing was, whichever way he looked at it, he didn't _actually_ regret it.

Initial feelings, raw emotions and pure protective instincts had taken over. Look for Kagome. Find her. _Don't_ let her be dead. Because if she died…. Nothing would ever make up for it. Ever.  
Inuyasha grinned. _Stupid girl. Getting yourself lost in the first place…_

Inuyasha placed Kagome on the ground beside the cliff face, and then tucked her into the 'cave' slightly. He took off his haori from around her shoulders, then thought better of it. He wrapped it around her, enclosing her on all sides so she wasn't cold. Inuyasha smiled, satisfied.

"'Night," he grimaced, before lying down next to her. He draped an arm over her and sat – just watching her. His amber eyes travelled over her softly shut eyes and her pinking cheeks. He sighed and briefly shut his eyes. Before he knew it, he was fast asleep at her side - their bodies close together. His arm slipped down to fit around her waist and a smile plastered across his face. _Sweet dreams..._


	2. Chapter 2

**The Town Beyond The Horizon**

Donuas isn't a main character so don't harm yourself trying to say his name. Just pronounce it 'dough-new-us'.  
Aiosheou: pronounce it as 'I-owe-shoe'  
I own Warren Raven, Donuas, General Gornyu, Orchid Raven, Haikka, Damilo, Theresa, Eric, and any extras.  
Inuyasha and co. are purely Rumiko Takahashi's, as you all know.

Sorry for the awful piratey dialogue of Warren and Donuas, but I was trying to make them sound a little like Kaede's villagers.  
If you read this fic can you please not read _Reflections In Your Tears_, my other Inu fanfic, because it may sound the same. If you do anyway, please don't comment saying the plot is the same because it _isn't_!  
Below is the dictionary!

_TAINTED: _I redefine the meaning of tainted in this fic. A 'tainted couple' means a couple that has at least one half-demon in it, or involves a demon loving a human. Get it? Tainted blood?  
_HANYOU: _Half-demon  
_MIKO: _Priestess

* * *

**Chapter Two**  
Tainted

The forest, Warren found, was pleasant that morning. After all, the storm had long since stopped and now the sun played across thousands of water droplets slowly being shed by their wearers.  
Peaceful…

Her cart all but spoiled the tranquillity. It clattered to and fro, the horses before her weren't exactly the prettiest things around, and the cart was old – it creaked with every pothole in the pitiful road leading to the village Aiosheou.

Warren shut her eyes; shutting out all of the beauties nature offered her. None of it mattered, not anything mattered, except preventing that same disaster…  
_"Mother!" Orchid giggling. The sun washing through the flowing tent flap. Haikka raising Orchid on his shoulders, grinning. The love that flowed between the young couple. Warren's happiness at seeing her daughter settling down…_

A lone tear traced its way down Warren's face. Orchid, her one and only daughter – her only child – had been gone for decades. But her ghost still haunted Warren's dreams, still made her wake sweaty yet cold in the middle of the night.

"Lady Warren!"  
Upon hearing this cry, Warren tugged on the reins – causing the horses to let out cries of displeasure. They tossed their heads from side to side, refusing to stop, but eventually came to a chaotic halt.

Warren peered over the edge of her cart, her wrinkly face creased in annoyance – her beady eyes narrowed. She stared at the human before her, and then nodded, respectfully. He was one of her own – a villager that she'd raised since he was a boy. His name was Donuas.

Not only that, he was a scout – someone she sent out to search for potential villagers she could steal away to her haven. Of course Sanctuary was about a day's trek away from here, but on her cart Warren could make it back in around three hours.

She herself was on a business trip. She was going to try and buy a hanyou child from a village in the north. They were planning to kill her, and Warren felt she had to do something. There was always this urge to _protect_. To stop what happened to her daughter and to Haikka… she had to stop it happening again…

Donuas was panting beneath her. He'd been running and his cheeks were pink with fatigue. "Lady Warren," he said again. Then, suddenly filling with energy, he turned and jabbed furiously in a certain direction, pointing. "Over yonder," he gasped out, "There be a tainted couple taking shelter within Angel's Blessin',"

Warren shifted to a comfortable position and leaned back on her wooden bench, frowning down at the man. "'Angel's Blessing'?" she repeated, "The cove beside Heaven's Falls?"

"Aye," Donuas nodded, sucking in deep breaths. He bent over and placed his hands on his knees, gasping for oxygen as if he were drowning in air. "Using the cove for its purpose – shelter from the storm, Miss. He be draping her arm around her, Miss – I believe them to be together."

Warren raised an eyebrow elegantly, leaning down to stare at Donuas' face. He wasn't lying to her. "Hm. They still be asleep?" she quizzed, cupping her chin with one hand.

Donuas nodded and a wry smile crept across his face. "They be the hanyou and miko that dominate these parts, Miss. Those rumours… we be told they were friends, but it appears–"

"They are alone?" Warren interrupted.  
Donuas blinked twice, then he nodded. "Aye, m'lady. And sleepin'. What's the plan?"  
Warren smiled mischievously. "There be no plan, Donuas. You know I act on impulse." She paused, then smiled generally. "You've done well,"

Donuas bowed.  
Warren nodded, then climbed down the ladder to the ground. "Go forth to Aiosheou and buy the hanyou child," She threw a bag of coins at him, which he caught with ease.

Warren pointed at him. "Do not take no for an answer. Whatever the price, be sure to bring that child back to Sanctuary – understand?"

"Understood, Miss." Donuas nodded.  
Warren looked around, and then grimaced. "So, Angel's Blessing, eh?"  
Donuas smiled and nodded. "Aye, m'lady." With that, he turned to go.

Warren looked away into the forest trees, deep in thought. "Donuas…"  
He froze. "Yes, Miss?"  
Warren frowned. "This couple. Be they young?"

Donuas opened his mouth, then shut it. He sighed, without turning to face her. "You know, Miss. They always are. They be teenagers. He be the same age as Lord Haikka–"

Donuas didn't finish. He realised too late that he'd said the wrong thing. He clamped his mouth shut and shook his head, angry with himself. "Forgive me, Miss. I spoke out of turn."  
But there was no reply, no snapping tone, no being reminded not to mention Lord Haikka again.  
Donuas frowned. "Miss…?"

He turned, but Lady Warren was already gone.

* * *

They were asleep, just as Donuas had said. Their upper bodies were jutting out slightly from the cove, the girl lying on her right side and the boy curled up behind her – his arm draped over her waist affectionately. 

The startling thing was that the boy had long silver hair, not to mention canine ears atop his head. It wasn't unusual for Warren because she'd never seen a teenager with snow-white hair; it was unusual because she _had_ seen someone with that hair. He'd been called Haikka.

Warren stepped forward, not one to sneak. She knew her steps would go unheard, her presence would remain unnoticed.

As she got closer, she saw the boy was smiling – dreaming wistfully; it seemed he dreamt of a future he didn't think he could have, but could close his eyes to see.  
Warren pulled herself out of his head. She knew she shouldn't spy, but her morals told her better.

It was far more dangerous not to know what other people were thinking – others would contradict her, but she knew better.  
For months she had kept out of Haikka's head and when she had seen what was behind that veil it had been too late.

Too late for Orchid, that is.  
And this boy… this new boy – the hanyou – he looked so much like Haikka that it made anger boil in the pit of Warren's stomach.  
She knew then, what she had to do.

Warren's powers didn't just extend to reading people's minds. She had telekinesis on her side…  
Because Warren was a new kind of witch. Not one who danced and chanted and sang about nature. She was one with _powers_.

And with a flick of her wrist, the hanyou was gone. Well, who was to say telekinesis couldn't develop into teleportation? A cliché but Warren found it very useful.

Next she surveyed the girl… and felt a stabbing pain in her heart. Distantly, upon seeing the boy, she had known what to expect. But she hadn't actually _thought_ that–  
She crouched down next to the sleeping girl and felt her insides knot up.

She endured it as her punishment. Her punishment of letting Haikka take Orchid down to the woods that day. If she had somehow stopped him…  
"_Orchid_…" she whispered, feeling the bitterness overwhelm her.

Hatefully, she glared at the girl who resembled her daughter. She snapped her fingers. Kagome disappeared.  
Warren slowly stood up, the weight of her years seeming to increase gravity. She frowned and snapped her fingers again.

With a blur of light as her location switched, Warren sighed. And then, she was no longer by a gushing waterfall. She was standing beside her cart. And she knew the tainted couple were inside.  
Warren clambered to the top of her cart, sat on her bench once more and pulled on the reins.

The horses came back to life. She made a U-turn, directing the horses to head the way they'd come. They neighed in acceptance, wheels beginning to groan as their hooves punished the ground they stepped on.  
Warren's heart felt heavy – even though she was going home.

She held her head high, facing the blinding sunlight.  
"Sanctuary, here we come."


	3. Chapter 3

**The Town Beyond The Horizon**

**Chapter Three  
**Unwilling

Inuyasha opened one eye. It was weird, because the cave was _shaking_. Trembling as if there were an earthquake – jolting, even. The movements of the ground beneath him told him that he wasn't in a cave, or in the forest. He was in some kind of room that seemed to be rolling.

Startled, he sat bolt upright and looked around. He was right. The room was dark, highlighted slightly by a laddering light that crept up one wall. It came from slits in the wall – where the room hadn't been built properly. And, as Inuyasha got used to his surroundings, he realised he wasn't in a room, after all. He was in a carriage.

He looked down. Kagome was fast asleep on his lap, shivering in her sleep. She looked frightened, as if the present world was seeping into her dreams as a nightmare. Her lips were puckered, her eyebrows knotted together in confusion. But at least she knew that when she woke up she would be safe in a cove…

Inuyasha knew that that thought would be shattered when she awoke. They weren't in a _cove_ – so how the hell did they get _here_?  
Inuyasha frowned and gently placed Kagome on the wooden floor before turning around and pressing two hands against the cart walls. It would be easy to get out; he could feel the weak spots in the walls beneath his palms.

One good punch here and the whole cart would collapse like a pack of cards…  
Inuyasha would've smiled at the easiness of it, had he not the overwhelming feeling of fear that someone had snuck up on them in their sleep.  
His instincts and senses – they'd failed him. The damn storm had blocked all scents, all sounds from him.

_We could've been killed…_ he realised, feeling a wave of nausea slap at him. But he let the feeling go. _Don't be stupid, we're alive – Kagome's safe – and that's all that matters. Now, to get out of this cart… _

Inuyasha pitched forward suddenly, his forehead smacking against the wooden wall. He let out a cry of shock, and then all was silent. He raised a hand to rub his forehead and frowned, looking around. The carriage had stopped. The world was no longer shaking and bouncing around, everything was still.

Inuyasha took a deep breath and stared through a slit in the wall. What he saw turned his blood to ice water. He physically froze. Instinctively, a hand went searching around him until it found another.  
He squeezed Kagome's hand, swallowing thickly.

Outside was a bunch of scouts – _demon_ scouts. He knew them well; they had chased him when he'd been a kid. And he especially knew the guy who was sat straight-backed atop a large lizard-type beast.

"Gornyu," Inuyasha whispered, scowling as he watched the general outside.  
He knew then, or at least thought he did. He knew that Gornyu and the Crusaders had captured him for being a half-breed.

After all, that was Gornyu's job; to rid the world of half-breeds and demon/human couples. Even though everyone knew that he had tried to marry a human himself once.  
Inuyasha got into a more comfortable position and continued to watch the scouts outside. But instead of guarding the cart, which they should have been doing if they'd caught him, they were addressing the person steering it.

It was Gornyu who spoke.  
"Lady Warren," he titled his head at the driver Inuyasha couldn't see – a woman apparently. A smile spread across Gornyu's face, showing jagged, razor sharp teeth.

Gornyu was a bat-demon. He had a long mane of black hair that ran down to his waist, and beady eyes that were cold and malicious. A pair of wings claimed the air behind him, quivering slightly in the morning breeze. His skin was a pale violet, his armour the colour of obsidian.

Where his elbows and shoulders were, his bones sharpened to points that resembled thorns.  
Gornyu continued to grin; it was apparently infectious since his whole army was grinning like idiots.  
The driver of the carriage made a noise that was almost a 'humph'.

"Gornyu," the woman said in a thick voice. Inuyasha could tell by her voice that she was old, and he wondered whether she was a friend of Kaede's. Why would an old woman kidnap them? And how the hell could she manage it alone?  
It made Inuyasha even angrier with himself.

But Inuyasha didn't think of that long. Gornyu was talking again, his profile dark against the forest backdrop. He chuckled. "Warren, I was wondering whether you had the girl. We were called to… _take_ _care_ of her," He said softly.

Inuyasha froze up. _A girl? _He turned to look at Kagome, and then a furious growl escaped his throat before he could help himself. Gornyu's idea of taking care of someone was killing them. After all, that was how he had dealt with the only girl he'd ever loved…

Inuyasha pulled Kagome closer to him, defensively. He would kill that over grown bat before–  
The driver, Lady Warren, laughed almost flirtatiously. "Gornyu, I did not buy the child. I'm afraid you're looking for her in the wrong place."  
Inuyasha frowned. _A child?_

Gornyu's eyes darkened. "You can't hide her, Warren. She's a baby, she's no use to you. I assure you, she will not suffer,"  
_A_ _baby,_ Inuyasha reasoned, relief washing over him. _They don't want Kagome, they want a baby…_

_Just like they wanted me.  
_"I'm telling the truth, General. I do not have her. Now, if ye don't mind, I'd like to continue home."

Gornyu was getting frustrated. Instead of snapping at the old woman, he grimaced. "What's in the carriage, old woman?"

Inuyasha froze, then snuck back away from the slit in the wall. He gathered Kagome up in his arms and sat defensively on the balls of his feet, preparing to leap out as soon as the cart's door was opened.  
He gritted his teeth in concentration, listening out for footsteps.

Warren let out another chuckle. "Why don't ye check for yourself, Gornyu?" she challenged.  
Inuyasha bit back another growl. He got a hold on Kagome, readying himself.  
Gornyu was laughing. There was the sound of clinking metal as he slipped off of his lizard's back, the footholds on the saddle clanking against his boots.

Footsteps. Closer and closer as Gornyu made his way to the cart. Inuyasha straightened, ready to leap– and then the strangest thing happened. Gornyu touched the side of the cart – and screamed.

He started hissing, roaring, spitting in protest. "Warren!" he cursed. "You put bloody spells on this cart, didn't you!" he yelled, furious.  
Warren's voice was flat when she spoke. "I did," she agreed. "Farewell, Gornyu,"

_He's going to kill her, _Inuyasha realised. _Neither demon nor human has ever spoken to Gornyu like that, ever! _  
He didn't know whether to feel bad or not. He didn't actually know if the woman atop the cart was kidnapping them for good reason or not. Was she protecting them? From people like Gornyu?

It appeared that way. She'd prevented Gornyu from getting inside by a 'spell'. And had gotten them out of the cove before Gornyu could have chanced upon them. Because Gornyu would've spotted them, there was no doubt about it.

Gornyu was hissing, his voice low. "Warren…" he growled.  
The cart began to roll again, and the world was thrown back into jolting mode. Inuyasha's eyes widened and he went to look through the crack in the wood again.

Gornyu was standing by, watching the cart move away. He didn't make any action to stop it, didn't tell his men to get in the way. He didn't do anything except watch. And Inuyasha wondered why. He certainly could stop Warren with ease, it would be simple – he could do it alone.

_Then why doesn't he? Why is he just watching?  
_Inuyasha kept on watching the bat-demon, wondering what the hell was going on. Then it happened – his eyes met with Gornyu's.  
Inuyasha froze beneath the glare of those dark eyes. But even then, even when Gornyu had realised who was in the cart – recognised him from the past – he didn't move.

He raised his head and stared at Inuyasha. The slit in the wood was big enough for Gornyu to see curious amber eyes and strands of white hair, but even without that he could feel the boy's presence. He knew who it was – if he'd have just filtered the air for it's scents he would've _known_…

"Boy," he smiled, speaking so quietly that only Inuyasha could hear. "You're _dead_,"  
He flashed a grin and went over to his lizard-beast, getting ready to mount it.

Inuyasha felt the tendrils of fear wrap around his heart. He couldn't help it. Gornyu was the only person he was afraid of – the _only_ person. It wasn't because he was creepy – it was because Gornyu hated him, and had tried to kill him so many times. It was a psychological thing. Inuyasha had only been a kid when Gornyu had been on his tail.

The fear had stuck with him. And now he felt sick. Because he knew he couldn't hide anymore. When he was a kid, he could hide in tree trunks or in bushes. He could get shelter with sympathising human families. Not anymore. He stuck out like a sore thumb.

He could run, but he couldn't hide. Gornyu was going to get him, and he was going to get him _good_.

* * *

It was night by the time the cart stopped again. Inuyasha had stayed awake watching Kagome, making sure she was all right. Now, he looked out of the crack in the wall. The cart was resting in some sort of field. He could hear horses neighing, and someone climbing down from the top of the cart. 

_Warren_.

Inuyasha wondered why Kagome wouldn't wake up. Surely she'd had enough sleep by now… The door opened before Inuyasha could react.  
He tried to stand up, but the ceiling was too low – he could only crouch. Inuyasha felt like a trapped animal, and now someone was coming to take him away… take Kagome away…

Moonlight haloed the woman before him. She was old and withered, her face a mass of wrinkles. She had her hair in a single plait that rested lightly on her shoulder. Her eyes were a soft blue, making her seem sickly and pale alongside her grey hair.

"It's alright, boy. I won't hurt ye," she croaked, holding a hand out.  
Inuyasha stared at her, his gaze unblinking. He refused to speak, and instead he just watched her.

Warren tilted her head, staring back at him. Her eyes were tired, yet she still seemed curious. "Boy? My name is Lady Warren Raven; I am a healer and a witch. You're safe with me,"

Inuyasha frowned, and then sat back – slightly away from her. Warren seemed patient. She sat on the edge of the cart opening, surveying him with her eyes. Then Inuyasha spoke. "What village are you from?" he asked.

Warren smiled. "Not a village, boy," she said slowly. "I am from the 'Town Beyond the Horizon'."  
Inuyasha choked. He'd been letting out a breath but somehow it had gotten swallowed back and he found that he couldn't breathe. He froze.  
"S-Sanctuary…?" he whispered.

Warren chuckled. "Yes, boy, I'm sure you've heard of it. I could not let ye alone in the forest. Not with Gornyu and the Crusaders scouting like that."  
Inuyasha's throat hurt. Slowly, he inclined his head. "I guess I should say thank you, but did you really have to carry us away like this?"

Warren smiled. "I'm sorry, child. Upon seeing ye, I thought you were a bad 'un, but I should know not to judge appearances. I be taking you with me. To Sanctuary,"

Inuyasha's eyes widened. He felt dazed and confused, and then felt as if he were mentally collapsing. Everything seemed distant. "W-What? Why?"

Warren sighed. "It be safer than any town for you and her. You'd be able to belong…"  
"'Me and her'?" Inuyasha interrupted. "Listen, lady, me and Kagome… w-we're not _together. _We're just friends, we–"

Warren grimaced. "Who are you trying to convince, child. Me or yourself?"  
Inuyasha stopped blabbering at the sound of her voice, because her words rang true. He tensed up, uncertain, and then he caved in on himself – defeated. He felt numb and cold, if not a little dizzy.

Sanctuary was for tainted couples. The perfect town for hanyous and demon/human couples to live in peace. It was invisible to all but the people who lived there, and once you went in you were never coming out.

Inuyasha bowed his head, wrapping his arms around his hunched up knees. He sat like that for a while, thinking, before saying: "But our friends. We didn't even say goodbye – they don't know where we are…"

Warren frowned. She slipped off of her perch and pondered that for a minute. Then she simply smiled. "We'll send a messenger when we reach Sanctuary."

"And what if I don't wanna come?" Inuyasha scowled. "What if I wanna turn back now?" he challenged.  
Warren shook her head. "You don't understand, boy. There's nowhere to turn back to."

She stepped back away from the door, and Inuyasha frowned. He crept forward, poking his head out of the exit. They weren't in a field after all. They were surrounded by tents, huts and other such buildings – including a temple and some stalls.

Everything looked peaceful, serene and quiet. No one was around. The moon cast a silver glow over everything, making it seem beautiful. Inuyasha knew that everything would be bright and colourful in the morning. The perfect town…

Inuyasha blinked furiously – he was sure this hadn't been there before. He stared at Warren for an explanation.  
Warren just smiled crookedly and waved an arm to introduce him to his surroundings.

"Welcome to Sanctuary, boy," she smiled.


End file.
